Sheet folding mechanism



H. P. CLAUBERG SHEET FOLDING MECHANISM May 30, 1939.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1936 INVENTOR.

y 1939- H. P. CLAUBERG 2,160,198

SHEET FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -INVENTORI.

Patented May 30, 1939 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET FOLDING MECHANISM Application September 5, 1936, Serial No. 99,508

16 Claims.

This invention relates to folding mechanisms for folding the products from printing machines and more particularly to the provision of means in a folding mechanism whereby the folding of products will be more efficiently and conveniently accomplished.

This invention is particularly applicable to rotary folding mechanisms, wherein cooperating cylinders are rotated together and products of the printing machines are collected either singly or in groups and folded to form a pamphlet, booklet or the like. Considerable difficulty and inconvenience has been experienced in the use of folding mechanisms of this type, by the free edges of the grouped products flapping and folding over upon each other and themselves, forming what is termed dog-ears at corners of the folded product, due principally to the effect of the high speed at which printing machines are now being operated.

In such folding mechanisms, the collected products are generally directed from the collecting cylinder into the bite of a pair of cooperating folding rollers by a folding blade carried by the cylinder, adapted to engage the collected products intermediate their ends. These ends, while being rapidly fed toward and by the rollers, are free to flap, and in many instances abruptly whip or snap over from a substantially horizontal, oppositely directed position, to a vertically and closely adjacent one. This action causes the above mentioned difficulty. It has been found that if the approaching movement of these oppositely directed ends is controlled and, as they more closely approach each other, they are guided by a gradually closing product confining means, the above mentioned difficulties will be avoided and the ends will smoothly feed into and pass between the rollers without becoming folded over upon themselves, or otherwise distorted.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved product folding mechanism for a printing or like machine.

Another object is to provide in a folding mechanism means to guide products as they are being folded from a collecting cylinder and control the free ends thereof to prevent the folding over of these ends upon themselves.

Still another object is to provide in a folding mechanism of the above nature a pair of gradually approaching members adapted to control the free ends of products being folded and insure smooth feeding into, and passage between, the folding rollers of the mechanism.

A further object is to provide in a product folding mechanism for a printing machine, a pair of members each adapted to engage and guide opposite ends of the product as it is being folded, and means to gradually cause the members to approach each other to form a gradually closing product confining means as the product ends approach the folding rollers of the mechanism.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a product folding mechanism of improved construction, whereby the same will be convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

The preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 20

Figure l is a partial end view of a folding mechanism and showing the essential features of this invention applied thereto, other parts being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 but showing certain operative parts of the mechanism in another position of operation;

Figure 4 is a View of a portion of the mechanism looking in the direction of arrow 4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged View of portions of the mechanism looking in the direction of arrow 5 in Figure l omitting certain parts for the sake of clearness;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail assembly of associated parts of the mechanism; and

Figure 7 is a view showing a somewhat modified form of connecting means for a pair of simultaneously rockable members which form a part of the mechanism.

The folding mechanism illustrated in the drawings will be understood to be a part of a printing machine and to which printed products or sheets are transmitted for collection and folding from the printing mechanism of the machine. It will also be understood that the cylinders H and I2 cooperate by the operation of well known means provided thereon, to receive printed products from the machine and collect them, if required, into groups upon the cylinder I2, and that the cooperation of a tucking or folding blade l3, with a pair of rotating rollers I 4 and I5, fold these products substantially intermediate their ends. It will be further understood that all operative parts of the printing machine and of the folding mechanism shown are, as is usual, driven in synchronism, preferably by gears or chains, one from the other, and in the above drawings, driving connections have been indicated between some of the parts by dot and dash circles representing gears with their teeth omitted for the sake of clearness in representing other parts.

Herein, the cylinder I I is shown as being driven by a driven gear, indicated at I6, which is in driving engagement with a gear, indicated at H, to drive the cylinder I2. A gear, indicated at I8, driven from gear I"! drives the rollers I4 and I5 through gears, indicated at l9, 2|, 22, 23 and 24 (see Figure 2) the gears 23 and 24 being mounted on the shafts of the rollers I4 and I5 respectively, and the gears 2| and 22 being rotatably mounted on shafts 25 and 26 respectively, gear I9 drivingly connecting gears 18 and 2|.

A product, indicated as a sheet at 21, is shown in Figure 1, being tucked at its intermediate portion between the rotating rollers I4 and I5 by the tucking or folding blade I3, and with its ends 28 and 29 (see Figure 2) oppositely disposed or ex tended about the cylinder I2 from the blade I3. Product guiding fingers 3i and 32 are provided to guide the products folded by the rollers I4 and I5 toward and between cooperating feeding rollers 33 and 34. The fingers 3I and 32 are disposed in circumferential grooves 35 formed in the respective rollers I4 and I5 and engage the folded product as it emerges from between these rollers and prevent it adhering thereto and being carried around the same.

The rollers I4 and I5 may be of sufficient length to fold a plurality of products disposed end to end, but for the purpose of this invention, these rollers are shown as being only of sufficient length to accommodate one product. At each end of each of the rollers I4 and I5, a product gm'ding arm 36 is disposed in a recess 31 extending circumferentially about the respective roller. The arms 36 are disposed between the rollers and the cylinder I2 and each is adapted to have its upper surface and end 38 engaged by the product 21 to guide the oppositely extending ends 28 and 29 during their movements toward the rollers I4 and I5 and to confine these ends between the arms 36 and the cylinder I2. Each of the arms 36 is formed as an extension to a lever 39, which latter are pivotally mounted upon shafts 25 and 26 near each end of the rollers I4 and I5, the levers 39 being bifurcated at their ends M to straddle the shafts as is clearly shown in Figure 6 to permit them to be readily removed therefrom.

Each lever 39 is secured to the end of a short lever 42 by a bolt or screw 43, which fits in a hole in the lever 42, and extends through a transversely elongated opening 44 in the lever 39, whereby the lever 39, and with it the arm 36, may be adjusted arcuately in respect to the short lever 42 and pivotally about the respective shafts 25 or 26, thus permitting the opposing ends 38 of the opposing arms 36 to be adjusted toward and away from each other. The levers 42 are secured to the respective shafts 25 and 26 to rock therewith. Means is provided to insure that the shafts 25 and 26 rock in unison and for this purpose, the shaft 25 has a member 45 (see Figures 1 and 5) secured thereto, having a slide block 46 pivotally mounted upon a stud shaft 41 secured to an end thereof, the slide block 46 being disposed in a slot 48 formed in the end of a member 49 secured to the shaft 26. Rocking movement of the shaft 25 will be transmitted through the slide block 46 cooperating with the member 49 in the slot 48 therein, to rock the shaft 26. In the form shown in Figure '7, the shafts 25 and 26 rock in unison due to the meshing of teeth 5I and 52 formed respectively in the adjacent ends of members 53 and 54, which are secured to the shafts 25 and 26 respectively. The members 45 and 49 in one instance, and the members 53 and 54 in the other, are preferably disposed at one end of the rollers I4 and I5, as the members 45 and 49 are shown in Figure 5.

The shaft 25 is adapted to be rocked by a connecting rod 55, one end of which is connected to an arm 56 which is secured to one end of the shaft 25 (see Figures 1 and 5). The other end of the rod 55 is connected to a cam follower or roller 5! by means of a roller support 58, to which the roller is journaled and which embraces a shaft 59 of a rotatable cam 6|, the shaft 59 passing through a longitudinally elongated opening 62 in the support 58. The cam 6I is provided with a cam surface 63, upon which the roller 57 rides and which is properly formed to gradually rock the shaft 25 through the rod 55, to move the opposing arms 36 together, as a product is feeding between the rollers I4 and E5; the arrangement being such that as the product ends 28 and 29 approach each other, the opposing ends 38 of the arms 36 gradually move closer together until they reach the position shown in Figure 3. Ihe cam 6| is driven in synchronism with the machine and with the cylinder I2 by a gear, indicated at 64, which is driven by a gear, indicated at 65, the latter being suitably driven from a driving member (not shown) and which also drives the gear, indicated at I6.

By the provision of the opposing arms 36 which are gradually moved toward each other in timed relation with the feeding of the product 27, into the rollers I4 and I5, whereby the oppositely extending product ends 28 and 29 will be guided and confined therebetween to a gradually increasing extent, as they approach each other before passing between the rollers I4 and I5, the abrupt flapping of the product ends, possibly causing inconvenience and distortion of the product, will be avoided and the products will pass between the rollers I4 and I5 smoothly, and will be acted upon by them efficiently, as well as rapidly.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied-in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed forms a part of the invention included in this application.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. In a folding mechanism for a printing machine, a cylinder from which printed sheet products are directed, a pair of cooperating rotatable rollers to and between which the products pass from the cylinder to be folded thereby intermediate their ends, and opposed members interposed between said cylinder and said rollers, to engage oppositely directed ends of the product and as they approach the rollers, to guide and gradually increasingly'confine them between the members.

2. In a folding mechanism for a printing machine, a cylinder from which printed sheet prod- 'ucts are directed, a pair of cooperating rotatable rollers to and between which the products pass from the cylinder tobe folded thereby intermediate their ends, a pair of. members, the ends of which are in opposed relation and movable toward each other, interposed between said cylinder and said rollers and adapted to guide the products, and means to gradually move said members in unison to cause the ends thereof to approach each other and increasingly confine the product ends therebetween as these ends feed toward the rollers.

3. In a folding mechanism, a product receiving member, cooperating rotatable rollers disposed adjacent the member, means to direct an intermediate portion of a product from the member toward and between the rollers to be folded thereby, and means movable substantially transversely to the direction of feed of the products toward said rollers and adapted during its movements to engage the product and, as the product ends approach the rollers, to gradually move toward the line of feed thereof and carry the product ends therewith.

4. In a folding mechanism, a product receiving member, cooperating rotatable rollers disposed adjacent the member, means to direct an intermediate portion of a product from the member toward and between the rollers to be folded thereby, and opposing means, each movable substantially transversely to the direction of feed of the products toward said rollers and toward each other, each of. said means being adapted to engage an oppositely extending portion of the product and, as the same passes between the rollers, to gradually move toward the other means and toward the line of feed of the product, to carry the engaged product portions closer together.

5. In a folding mechanism, a product receiving member, cooperating rotatable rollers disposed adjacent the member, means to direct an intermediate portion of a product from the member toward and between the rollers to be folded thereby, a pair of pivotally mounted levers, each having a portion disposed between a roller and said member and adapted to engage a product portion as it feeds between the rollers, means to connect said levers together for movement toward each other in unison, and means to move one of the levers.

6. In a folding mechanism, a product receiving member, cooperating rotatable rollers disposed adjacent the member, means to direct an intermediate portion of a product from the member toward and between the rollers to be folded thereby, pivotally mounted levers each having a portion disposed between a roller and said member and adapted to engage a product portion as it feeds between the rollers, a rockable member adjustably secured to each of said levers to vary the arcuate disposition of the respective lever relatively thereto, means to connect said members together for rocking movement in unison, and means to rock one of the members.

'7. In a folding mechanism, a product receiving member, cooperating rotatable rollers disposed adjacent the member, means to direct an intermediate portion of a product from the member toward and between the rollers to be folded thereby, a lever adapted to engage a product portion disposed between each roller and said member, a rockable shaft for each lever and upon which the respective lever is pivotally mounted, means to secure each lever to its respective shaft and for pivotal adjustment relatively thereto, means to connect the shafts together for rocking movement in unison, and means to rock one of said shafts.

8. In a folding mechanism, a product receiving member, cooperating rotatable rollers disposed adjacent the member, means to direct an intermediate portion of a product from the member toward and between the rollers to be folded thereby, a lever adapted to engage the product portion disposed between each roller and said member, a rockable shaft for each lever, each lever being adapted to be readily removable transversely from its respective shaft and being pivotally mounted thereon, means to detachably secure each lever to its respective shaft, and means to rock said shafts in unison.

9. In a folding mechanism, a product receivinmember, cooperating rotatable rollers disposed adjacent the member, means to direct an intermediate portion of a product from the cylinder toward and between the rollers to be folded thereby, a lever adapted to engage the product portion disposed between each roller and said member, a rockable shaft for each lever, each lever being adapted to be readily removable transversely from its respective shaft and being pivotally mounted thereon, means to detachably secure each lever to its respective shaft, means to connect said shafts together for rocking movement in unison, a rotatable cam, and means actuated by said cam to rock one of said shafts.

10. In a folding mechanism for a printing machine, wherein a printed sheet is engaged at its intermediate portion and directed toward and between a pair of rotatable rollers to be folded thereby, and has its end portions oppositely extended from its intermediate portion, which feed toward each other into contact between the rollers, means to simultaneously engage the end portions of the printed sheet and uniformly move them toward each other as they approach said rollers and in advance of their contact, and means to actuate said sheet ends engaging and moving means.

11. In a mechanism adapted to fold products forwarded by a printing machine, a folding cylinder arranged to receive the products and having a folding blade, a pair of folding rollers supported adjacent the cylinder and cooperating with the folding blade to fold the products, and means to periodically reduce the width of the path beside the folding blade through which the products pass from the folding cylinder to the rollers.

12. In a mechanism adapted to fold products forwarded by a printing machine, a folding cylinder adapted to receive the products and having a folding blade, a pair of folding rollers supported adjacent the cylinder and cooperating with the folding blade to fold the products, and opposed members movable into engagement with that portion of the product between the cylinder and the rollers while it is being fed between the rollers, to prevent the trailing edges of the product from whipping.

13. In mechanism adapted to fold sheet-like products forwarded by a machine operating thereon, means to receive and fold products from said machine including a folding blade adapted to engage a product intermediate its ends and direct it toward cooperating product receiving and folding members, and a pair of opposed members arranged to engage the portions of the product on opposite sides of the blade and gradually move these product portions toward each other before these product portions are received by the cooperating members.

14. In mechanism adapted to fold sheet-like products forwarded by a machine operating thereon, means to receive and fold products from said machine including a folding blade adapted to engage aproduct intermediate its ends and direct it toward cooperating product receiving and folding members, a pair of opposed members arranged to engage the portions of the product on opposite sides of the blade, and means to gradually move said opposed members toward each other as the respective product ends are approaching the same and are being received by said cooperating folding members.

15. In mechanism adapted to fold sheet-like products forwarded by a machine operating thereon, means to receive and fold' products from said machine including a folding blade adapted to engage a product intermediate its ends and direct it toward'cooperating product receiving and folding members, opposed members movable toward each other to engage the product portions disposed directly in advance of the cooperating folding members to reduce the width of the path through which the product portions pass from the blade to the fo1ding members, and means to gradually move said. opposed members toward each other.

16. In mechanism adapted to fold sheet-like products forwarded by a machine operating thereon, means to receive and fold products from said machine including a folding blade adapted to engage a product intermediate its ends and direct it toward cooperating product receiving and folding members, opposed members movable toward each other to engage the product portions disposed directly in advance of the cooperating folding, members to reduce the width of the path through which the product portions pass from the blade to the folding members, and timed means to gradually move said opposed members against opposite product portions to provide a minimum width of path for the same as the ends thereof pass therebetween.

HERMAN P. CLAUBERG. 

